Jerry James of Franklin Homes is one of the 2015 inductees into the national RV/MH Hall of Fame located in Elkhart, IN. He is one of Alabama’s distinguished manufacturers among the group of inductees.
In 1969 Jerry founded Franklin Homes in Russellville, Alabama, and is a man of vision and leadership ability. For more than four decades, he has been both a trailblazer and innovator, pressing manufactured housing forward to reach its full potential, and offering homes that are not only affordable but also renowned throughout the industry for their advanced designs and features.
Jerry has been a member of the Alabama Manufactured Housing Association since 1969 and has served on the Board of Directors of the Southeast Manufactured Housing Institute, the Manufactured Housing Institute, the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission, and the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform. He was Chairman of the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission in 1998 and 1999.
Jerry worked on a national level to get the “National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974” passed, which developed uniform manufactured home standards that must be met by all manufacturers in all states. Then he worked with Senators in Washington to get the 1974 law updated, with more improvements for the industry and the consumer, and today it is referred to as the “American Homeownership and Economic Opportunity Act of 2000.” At the state level, Jerry was instrumental in getting “The Uniform Standards Code for Mobile Homes Act” passed in 1971. This state law established the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission as the state agency that would regulate the industry in Alabama and removed those duties from the Fire Marshal Division of the Insurance Department.
Jerry was inducted into the Alabama Manufactured Housing Industry Hall of Fame in 2009. The inductees are selected for their contribution to the manufactured housing industry in Alabama, new developments or improvements to the industry, contribution and participation in trade associations and community service outside the industry. Jerry is among 42 other leaders from the industry who have been inducted into the Alabama Manufactured Housing Industry Hall of Fame established in 2001 and is now located in the AMHA Building in Montgomery, Alabama.
Jerry’s philosophy for his success at Franklin Homes is: “The success of any business is a reflection of the public’s confidence and trust in the company’s product. The products developed and manufactured by Franklin Homes reflect the dedication of management, production, sales, and service personnel. Through cooperation and teamwork, we have endeavored to develop an organization second to none in the manufactured housing industry. We believe the success of Franklin Homes is attributable to the pride of workmanship, quality control, and our overall desire to produce the best product in the market place.”
The ceremony was held Monday, August 3, 2015, in Elkhart, IN.
